Associations Among Family Caregivers' Perceptions of Loneliness, Choice, and Purpose: a Comparative Analysis Between Non-Hispanic Black Caregivers and Non-Hispanic White Caregivers in a Population-Based Sample.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness is a frequent experience among family members engaging in caregiving responsibilities and may vary across racial and ethnic groups. This study aimed to examine (a) the difference in loneliness between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White caregivers, (b) the associations between loneliness and perceptions of choice and purpose in caregiving, and (c) whether those associations with loneliness differ by caregivers' race. METHOD: Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were conducted in a population-based sample of 1000 caregivers (Black caregivers, n = 199; White caregivers, n = 801) from the 2020 Caregiving in the U.S. STUDY: The survey design was properly addressed. Key variables included loneliness (level of feeling alone about being a caregiver), choice (whether or not reporting a choice in taking on the caregiver responsibility), sense of purpose (level of purpose/meaning in life from caregiving), and race (Black/White). Models adjusted for caregiving characteristics (e.g., hour of caregiving) and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age and education). RESULTS: Black caregivers had lower odds of reporting a higher level vs. a lower level of loneliness than White caregivers (aOR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.47, 0.96). Reporting having no choice was associated with higher odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR, 0.77, 95%CI = 0.67, 0.88). Higher sense of purpose scores were associated with lower odds of a higher level of loneliness (aOR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.71, 0.93). No significant moderation effects of race were found. CONCLUSION: Black caregivers reported lower loneliness scores than White caregivers. Reporting no choice and lower sense of purpose were associated with higher loneliness in both racial groups.

Diabetes distress mediates the relationship between depressive symptoms and glycaemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes: Findings from a multi-site diabetes peer support intervention.

AIMS: Diabetes distress is positively associated with HbA1c and may mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and HbA1c . This study examined these relationships in a geographically, socioeconomically, and ethnically diverse sample of adults with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Using data from five US sites evaluating peer support for diabetes management (n = 917), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) examined whether diabetes distress (four items from Diabetes Distress Scale) mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms (PHQ-8) and HbA1c . Sites compared interventions of varying content and duration with control conditions. Time from Baseline Assessment to Final Assessment varied from six to 18 months. Site characteristics were controlled by entering site as a covariate along with age, sex, education, diabetes duration, insulin use, and intervention/control assignment. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, and HbA1c were all intercorrelated cross-sectionally and from Baseline to Final Assessment (rs from 0.10 to 0.57; ps <0.05). In SEM analyses, diabetes distress at Final Assessment mediated the relationship between Baseline depressive symptoms and HbA1c at Final Assessment (indirect effect: b = 0.031, p < 0.001), controlling for Baseline HbA1c and covariates. Parallel analysis of whether depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between Baseline diabetes distress and HbA1c at Final Assessment was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this diverse sample, diabetes distress mediated the influence of depressive symptoms on HbA1c but the reverse, depressive symptoms mediating the effect of distress, was not found. These findings add to the evidence that diabetes distress is a worthy intervention target to improve clinical status and quality of life among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Rural resilience during COVID-19: the lived experience of North Carolinian rural-dwelling cancer caregivers.

PURPOSE: To illuminate the lived experience of resilience in rural-dwelling North Carolinian cancer caregivers at the intersection of cancer and the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In spring, 2020, we recruited self-identified primary caregivers (CGs) for a relative/friend with cancer living in a rural area. We conducted cross-sectional semi-structured interviews and then thematically analyzed transcripts to identify and categorize instances of stressors and benefit-finding. RESULTS: Of the 24 participants, 29% were < 50 years old, 42% identified as non-Hispanic Black, 75% were women, and 58% were spousal CGs. Most care recipients (CRs) had stage IV cancer (n = 20) and cancer types varied. Participants played a variety of roles in caregiving and experienced stressors related to caregiving demands (e.g., conflicts with other responsibilities), rurality (e.g., transportation), and the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., new visitor policy at hospital). Despite stressful experiences, participants also identified many positive aspects of their caregiving. Five domains of benefit-finding were identified: appreciation (e.g., gratitude toward their ability to care for CRs), CG-CR dyad relationship dynamics (e.g., increased closeness), interpersonal relationship dynamics (e.g., perceived peer support), faith (e.g., ability to cope through praying), and personal growth (e.g., new skills learned from caregiving). CONCLUSION: Rural-dwelling cancer caregivers from mixed sociodemographic backgrounds identified a diverse range of benefits from caregiving, despite experiencing multiple stressors, including emergent stressors from the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare delivery serving rural communities may consider expanding transportation assistance and boosting benefit-finding to ameliorate stress in cancer caregivers.

Gender differences in the association between unmet support service needs and mental health among American cancer caregivers.

PURPOSE: Cancer caregiving can be distressing, and many caregivers have support service needs. Given the role gender has played in shaping norms around caring, gender may influence caregiving experiences. Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, 2015-2018, we aimed to examine gender as an effect modifier of the unmet support service needs and mental health association among cancer caregivers. METHODS: Our n = 5814 sample represented approximately 4.8 million caregivers. Mental health was operationalized as number of mentally unhealthy days over the past 30 (MUDs) and Frequent Mental Distress (FMD, MUDs ± 14 days). Unmet supportive care needs included endorsement of needing but not receiving caregiving classes, help accessing services, support groups, counseling, and respite care. We conducted zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) and logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between unmet needs with MUDs and FMD and then tested gender as an effect modifier. RESULTS: Cancer caregivers reported an average of 6 MUDs. Approximately 20% of caregivers reported FMD, and 17% reported having any unmet needs. Gender moderated the unmet needs and FMD association. Among female caregivers, those with unmet needs were more likely to report FMD (aOR: 2.167; 95%CI: 1.447, 3.243); among male caregivers, no association was found (aOR: 0.970; 95%CI: 0.471, 2.001). In the ZINB model of MUDs, no significant moderation effect of gender was found. CONCLUSION: Though distress does not appear to vary by gender, having unmet support needs may negatively affect mental health in female cancer caregivers. Studies on gendered experiences can inform strategies to meet caregiver needs.

Risk and protective family factors during childhood on youth violence among African American males: The role of mothers and nonresident fathers.

African American male youth experience disproportionately higher levels of violence. We examined parental depression among African American mothers and nonresident fathers on parenting stress and school involvement in their adolescent sons' school connectedness and violent behaviors. Using a longitudinal study design, parent factors were assessed when sons were 9 years old on youth outcomes at age 15. We found that maternal depression was associated with maternal stress, and maternal stress was indirectly associated with sons' violent behaviors through school connectedness. School involvement among nonresident fathers was positively associated with sons' school connectedness, which was linked to less youth violent behaviors. Maternal stress and nonresident fathers' school involvement are influential for understanding youth violence. Future interventions should incorporate a more nuanced approach when including family factors.

The Effects of Multiple Dimensions of Risk and Protective Factors on Depressive Symptoms Among Nonresident African American Fathers.

Compared to other groups, African American men experience proportionately greater adverse social and economic circumstances, which have been linked to poor mental health. A growing body of literature has begun to examine depressive symptoms among African American men; however, limited literature has examined the concurrent contributions of risk and protective factors among nonresident African American fathers. This study examined the relative contribution of perceived financial strain, perceived neighborhood characteristics, and interpersonal stress on depressive symptoms among 347 nonresident African American fathers. Social support was examined as a protective factor for depressive symptoms. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated interpersonal stress was associated with depressive symptoms even after controlling for perceived financial strain, perceived neighborhood characteristics, and specific sociodemographic factors. Additionally, among fathers with high interpersonal stress, having more social support buffered the negative effect of interpersonal stress on depressive symptoms. Findings suggest experiencing strain from multiple dimensions can increase the risk of depressive symptoms among nonresident African American fathers. We also found that interpersonal stress was especially harmful for mental health. Family service providers and mental health professionals should incorporate stress management techniques to reduce stressful interpersonal relationships as a way to lower depressive symptoms among nonresident African American fathers.

Complementary interactions between command-like interneurons that function to activate and specify motor programs.

Motor activity is often initiated by a population of command-like interneurons. Command-like interneurons that reliably drive programs have received the most attention, so little is known about how less reliable command-like interneurons may contribute to program generation. We study two electrically coupled interneurons, cerebral-buccal interneuron-2 (CBI-2) and CBI-11, which activate feeding motor programs in the mollusk Aplysia californica. Earlier work indicated that, in rested preparations, CBI-2, a powerful activator of programs, can trigger ingestive and egestive programs. CBI-2 reliably generated ingestive patterns only when it was repeatedly stimulated. The ability of CBI-2 to trigger motor activity has been attributed to the two program-promoting peptides it contains, FCAP and CP2. Here, we show that CBI-11 differs from CBI-2 in that it contains FCAP but not CP2. Furthermore, it is weak in its ability to drive programs. On its own, CBI-11 is therefore less effective as a program activator. When it is successful, however, CBI-11 is an effective specifier of motor activity; that is, it drives mostly ingestive programs. Importantly, we found that CBI-2 and CBI-11 complement each other's actions. First, prestimulation of CBI-2 enhanced the ability of CBI-11 to drive programs. This effect appears to be partly mediated by CP2. Second, coactivation of CBI-11 with CBI-2 makes CBI-2 programs immediately ingestive. This effect may be mediated by specific actions that CBI-11 exerts on pattern-generating interneurons. Therefore, different classes of command-like neurons in a motor network may make distinct, but potentially complementary, contributions as either activators or specifiers of motor activity.

Social Isolation and Hospitalization in Community-dwelling Older Adults by Dementia Status.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation is a well-known risk factor for poor health outcomes, including incident dementia, yet its associations with outcomes among persons living with dementia is understudied. We examined the association between social isolation and hospitalization among a nationally representative sample of older adults with and without dementia. METHODS: This observational cohort study included 5,533 community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries from the 2015 and 2016 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, we examined associations between social isolation and hospitalization in the following year, examining differences by dementia status. Social isolation was measured using a 4-item typology. Dementia was identified using a pre-specified classification in NHATS. RESULTS: 20.7% of older adults were socially isolated. Social isolation was more prevalent among persons with dementia (35.4%) than among those without dementia (19.0%) (p < .001). Among persons with dementia, social isolation was associated with 1.68 greater odds of hospitalization (CI: 1.23‒2.28), translating into a 9% average increase in the predicted probability of hospitalization for persons with dementia who were socially isolated compared to those who were not (p = 0.001). In the combined sample that included persons with and without dementia, there was a significant moderation effect of dementia on the association between social isolation and hospitalization (OR: 1.70; CI: 1.19‒2.43). CONCLUSIONS: For persons with dementia, social isolation is prevalent and associated with greater odds of subsequent hospitalization. Efforts to reduce acute healthcare utilization should explore ways to bolster social connection to improve health outcomes among persons with dementia.

Race Differences in Purpose in Life Among Family Caregivers: Findings From the Caregiving Transitions Study.

Family caregiving may affect purpose in life, defined as the sense that life has meaning and intentionality. Few studies have compared caregivers to non-caregivers or examined the characteristics of caregivers associated with purpose in life. Using data from the Caregiving Transitions Study (n = 486), we conducted multiple linear regression analyses to test the effects of caregiver status, age, gender, social network, and physical and mental health on purpose in life. We also tested whether the effect of caregiver status differed by race and, among caregivers (n = 241), the associations between caregiving characteristics and purpose in life. Caregivers did not differ significantly from non-caregivers in purpose in life in adjusted analysis. Among caregivers, significantly greater purpose of life was observed among Black caregivers and those reporting higher positive aspects of caregiving. Future research should examine these issues longitudinally, and caregiver interventions should consider addressing purpose in life and positive aspects of caregiving.

Benefits of 12-month peer support for diabetes self management sustained at 18 months.

AIMS: To evaluate sustainability of peer support (PS) benefits in diabetes management. METHODS: Supporting a Peer Leader program through Community Health Centers (CHCs) included trainings and consultations from baseline to 12 months. Evaluation at baseline, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up included primary outcome, HbA1c, and other outcomes of SBP, DBP, LDLc, PHQ-8, diabetes distress, and EQ-5D. RESULTS: 1284 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from 9 CHCs. Mean (SD) for age = 68.00 (7.55) years, 43.07 % male, mean (SD) for diabetes duration = 11.79 (7.34) years. Across 18-months, linear mixed model analyses controlling for confounders found the least square mean (SE) of HbA1c improved significantly from 7.62 % (0.06 %) to 7.53 % (0.06 %) for all, and from 9.25 % (0.09 %) to 8.52 % (0.11 %) among those ≥8 % at baseline. Parallel improvements were found among all for SBP, DBP, PHQ-8, diabetes distress, and, among those elevated at baseline for all outcomes. EQ-5D showed significant but modest increase from baseline to 18 months. No significant reversals between 12 and 18 months were found except for LDLc. Supporting robustness of findings, patterns were similar across age, diabetes duration, and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to the fundamentally progressive nature of diabetes, it is striking that improvements associated with PS were generally sustained after program support ended.

Joint effects of microplastics and ZnO nanoparticles on the life history parameters of rotifers and the ability of rotifers to eliminate harmful phaeocystis.

The rising concentration of microplastics and nanoparticles coexisting simultaneously in marine may bring joint harm to zooplankton. Rotifer is an important functional group of marine zooplankton, which plays an important role in the energy flow of marine ecosystem. To evaluate the comprehensive effects of nano-sized microplastics and metal oxide nanoparticles on life history parameters of rotifers and population dynamics of rotifers during eliminating harmful algae Phaeocystis, we exposed rotifers Brachionus plicatilis to the multiple combinations of different concentrations of nanoplastics and ZnO nanoparticles. Results showed that rotifer maturation time was prolonged and the total offspring was decreased significantly with rising ZnO nanoparticles and microplastics concentrations, and microplastics and ZnO nanoparticles had significant interaction, which brought more serious joint deleterious effects on survival, development, and reproduction. At the population level, ZnO nanoparticles exacerbated the delayed effect of microplastics on the elimination of Phaeocystis by rotifers, although eventually rotifers also completely eliminated Phaeocystis in the closed system. This study provided new insights into revealing the comprehensive impact of microplastics and ZnO nanoparticles on zooplankton not only from the perspective of life history parameters of rotifers but also from the perspective of population dynamics of rotifers controlling harmful algae, which is of great significance to understand the impact of mixed pollutants on marine ecosystem.

Community organization guides standardization, adaptability, and innovation: lessons from peer support in the Shanghai Integration Model.

Although there is broad evidence for the value of peer support (PS) in preventing and managing diabetes and other chronic diseases, identifying approaches to stage, scale, and adapt PS interventions is a challenge. Community organization may provide a process for such adaptation of standardized PS and diabetes management to individual communities. This community organization approach was used to develop PS in 12 communities in Shanghai, China. Through a convergent mixed methods design, project records, semi-structured interviews, and an implementation assessment characterized processes of adaptation of standardized materials, examined the extent to which the program was implemented, and identified key success factors and challenges. Findings from both interviews and the implementation assessment indicated that communities adapted standardized intervention components to meet the needs of their communities and assumed responsibility for implementation of different components of the program based on their community's available capacity. Additionally, community innovations occurring as part of the project were reported and standardized for dissemination in future iterations of the program. Key success factors identified included cooperation and collaboration among varied partners within and across communities. Two challenges illustrate the resilience of the community organization model in response to COVID-19 and the need for further adaptation in rural communities. Community organization provided a useful approach to standardization, adaptation, innovation, and reporting of PS interventions for diabetes management.

Piloting HealthScore: Feasibility and acceptability of a clinically integrated health coaching program for people living with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer supportive care interventions often have limited generalizability, goal misalignment, and high costs. We developed and piloted a health coaching intervention, UNC HealthScore, in patients undergoing cancer treatment (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04923997). We present feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcome data. METHODS: HealthScore is a six-month, theory-based, multicomponent intervention delivered through participant-driven coaching sessions. For the pilot study, participants were provided a Fitbit, responded to weekly symptom and physical function digital surveys, and met with a health coach weekly to develop and monitor goals. Coaching notes were discussed in weekly interdisciplinary team meetings and provided back to the treating oncology team. Symptom alerts were monitored and triaged through a study resource nurse to relevant supportive care services. Feasibility was determined based on intervention enrollment and completion. Acceptability was based on satisfaction with coaching and Fitbit-wearing and was informed by semistructured exit interviews. Outcomes evaluated for signs of improvement included several PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) measures, including the primary intervention target, physical function. RESULTS: From May 2020 to March 2022, 50 participants completed the single-arm pilot. Feasibility was high: 66% enrolled and 71% completed the full intervention. Participants reported an average of 4.8 and 4.7 (out of 5) on the acceptability of coaching calls and using the Fitbit, respectively. Physical function scores rose 3.1 points (SE = 1.1) from baseline to 3 months, and 4.3 (SE = 1.0) from baseline to 6 months, above established minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Improvements above MCID were also evident in anxiety and depression, and smaller improvements were demonstrated for emotional support, social isolation, cognitive function, symptom burden, and self-efficacy. DISCUSSION: HealthScore shows feasibility, acceptability, and promising preliminary outcomes. Randomized studies are underway to determine the efficacy of preserving physical function in patients with advanced cancer.

Peer support in Shanghai's Commitment to diabetes and chronic disease self-management: program development, program expansion, and policy.

Identifying organizational settings for sustainable, scalable implementation of peer support (PS) is a challenge. Development, initial evaluation, and community expansion of PS for populations with diabetes staged in the context of the Shanghai Integration Model integrating primary and specialty care for diabetes. Development Phase with 9 Community Health Centers (CHCs) leading to Community Expansion Phase with additional 12 communities. Development Phase peer leaders (PLs) co-led meetings on diabetes management, led neighborhood activities, and followed up with individuals and families. Among 1,284 participants, changes in HbA1c, other clinical markers, and diabetes distress were significant (ps from 0.001 to 0.041), pronounced among those with elevated levels, for example, HbA1c reduction from 9.09% to 8.50% among those ≥8% at baseline (p < 0.001). Ratings of Implementation were associated with reduced HbA1c and diabetes distress and increased neighborhood support. In particular, linking with community resources and utilization of neighborhood Residential Committees were associated with improved HbA1c, indicating the value of PS programs including community resources. Thus, the Community Expansion Phase includes district- and community-level health staff, Community Self Management Groups, and Residential Committees along with CHCs in 12 communities, all of which have implemented activities during the first 6 months. PS programs are feasible and appear to add value among populations with diabetes in community settings such as Shanghai. Recognition by the Shanghai government has included PS as a key strategy for achieving self-management of chronic disease in its 2030 health goals.

Moderating Effect of Residential History on the Effects of a Fatherhood Program on Parenting Skills Satisfaction among Nonresident African American Fathers.

Nonresident African American (AA) fathers sometimes face challenges to achieving satisfaction with their parenting skills, which may inhibit their motivations for parenting. Studies have found that residential history of fathers is associated with parental involvement; however, current fatherhood programs rarely consider the influence of different residential history on fathering. In the current study, we examined whether nonresident AA fathers' residential history with their sons moderated their parenting skills satisfaction after participating in the Fathers and Sons Program. Our results indicated that after controlling for fathers' pretest parenting skills satisfaction, age, education, marital status, employment, and ever lived with their son's mother; there was a moderating effect of residential history on the intervention's effects on posttest parenting skills satisfaction. The regression analyses showed that fathers in the intervention group who had lived with their son increased their parenting skills satisfaction more at posttest compared with fathers who had never lived with their sons. However, fathers in the comparison group who had lived with their sons had lower posttest parenting skills satisfaction. Future fatherhood programs for nonresident AA fathers should develop more nuanced group-specific interventions that consider residential history as a critical factor to enhance their parenting skills satisfaction as a strategy for improving father involvement.

Correlation between electric potential and peristaltic behavior in Physarum polycephalum.

Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a model species of eukaryotic microorganisms for studying amoeboid movement. Plasmodium's natural movements are characterized by the rhythmic back-and-forth streaming of cytoplasm peristalsis, which results in the directed locomotion of plasmodium, and the periodic change of the electric potential on the surface of plasmodium. Although it was suggested the causal connection between the cytoplasmic streaming and the electric potential in P. polycephalum, the relationship between its plasmodium peristaltic behavior and the surface electric potential had not been statistically proven. In this study, based on the modern microscopic observation and the new electric potential measurement, we proved the consistence between the frequency spectrums of the electric potential wave and the peristaltic wave during the growth of plasmodium and the synchronization of their waveforms through cross-correlational analysis. And we concluded that the correlation exists between the peristaltic wave and the electric potential wave. This study added new evidence to the hypothesis of the sharing inner biological mechanism between plasmodium's peristaltic behavior and electric potential as previous studies indicated, and brought a new perspective towards the future research on amoeboid movement.